100 High Street Buffalo, NY 14203

BUFFALO, N.Y. (Friday, June 18, 2004) - Kaleida Health and the Hispanic Women's League of Buffalo held an official dedication ceremony today for the Carmen Maria del Valle Women and Children's West Side Health Center on Niagara Street.

Ms. del Valle, a pioneer and leader in Buffalo's Hispanic community, lost her life at age 45 after a difficult battle with cancer in 1995.

"Carmen del Valle dedicated her life to advancing the well-being of the Hispanic community," said Kaleida Health CEO William D. McGuire. "We are proud to recognize such an outstanding community leader."

The children's clinic was originally a stand-alone facility on Niagara Street but moved inside the Judge Joseph S. Mattina Community Health Center when the Kaleida building opened in 2000.

Ms. del Valle, one of thirteen children, moved with her family from Puerto Rico to Lackawanna when she was five years old. A resourceful woman, she managed to receive her master's degree in social work while caring for her two young children at home.

Ms. del Valle became director of several West Side-based social service programs, such as the Buffalo Family Systems Training institute, the only institute in the country to base training on the community backgrounds and experiences of trainees and clients.

During her two terms as president of the Hispanic Women's League of Buffalo, Ms. del Valle organized youth and neighborhood programs and supported lower West Side community political candidates.

In 1990, Ms. del Valle became a trainer for the Center for the Development of Human Services at SUNY at Buffalo. She traveled throughout the state spreading the values of cultural diversity and teaching family systems courses to child welfare workers.

The Carmen del Valle Health Center cooperates with board-certified pediatric specialists from The Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo to provide a full range of pediatric and adolescent services. These include routine health maintenance, forms for school, sports, camp and working papers, urgent care, developmental and behavior evaluations, adolescent gynecology, and subspecialty referrals for patients ranging from newborn to age 18.

Kaleida Health is the largest health care provider in Western New York. More than one million patients are seen annually at Buffalo General Hospital, DeGraff Memorial Hospital, Millard Fillmore Gates Hospital, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, The Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo and numerous community health care centers. The system includes long-term care facilities, as well as visiting nurse, behavioral health and home care services.